


Moving Pieces

by GentlyTornPromises



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Drabble Fic, Gen, No spoilers??, Nonbinary My Unit | Byleth, i legit made an ao3 acct to post a fic so i can use that tag, is smart, looks like a himbo, mentions of byleths abilities, no beta we die like Glenn, sometimes I think too much abt how syl is actually Smart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:01:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21577234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GentlyTornPromises/pseuds/GentlyTornPromises
Summary: In which the kind professor is wise enough to see that the Blue Lion's resident skirtchaser is much keener than he seems.Aka, Byleth continues the tradition of "weird ways to boost student's abilities" with chess.
Relationships: Felix Hugo Fraldarius & Ingrid Brandl Galatea & Sylvain Jose Gautier, Sylvain Jose Gautier & Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Sylvain Jose Gautier & Ingrid Brandl Galatea, Sylvain Jose Gautier & My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 3
Kudos: 61





	Moving Pieces

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic on this site!! I haven't publically posted fics since about 2013, if I'm honest. I recently have been super inspired by fe3h. I plan on releasing more fics, so if you liked this, please look forward to more.

Byleth had a chessboard in their office. Sometimes students would look at it, and those who talk to the professor regularly notice there was always a change on the board. And those curious enough, might ask if they can place the next piece.

Byleth always politely offered them the next game instead. 

Very few have ever managed to get a new game with the professor, and those who do quickly learn why Byleth was given their position- despite how they were raised. Losing so quickly, at times, was downright disheartening. Getting rematches, well that was nearly impossible without at least a moon in between. No one was sure  _ who _ was playing with Byleth so often, assuming Rhea, or Jeralt at first. They were proven wrong, in time, not that many were particularly invested in the mystery. 

There was a chessboard in Sylvain's room, really the only thing on his desk that remained unchanging. Well, aside from the chess pieces. The rest of his room was in a never-ending flux of tidiness (when Ingrid hounded him) to a mild disaster zone (misplaced notes, a fling in his bedroom.) But still, always in place was the chessboard, and always in place was some new game, a new puzzle he was solving.

The Blue Lions were the first to learn. Each piecing it together in their own time, from different means. Ingrid and Felix, noticing the game in their friend’s room matching the one in their professor’s office. Dedue being an unwilling victim of Sylvain  _ thinking out loud _ . Ashe nearly had a heart attack when he overheard Sylvain say, “king’s knight to queen’s bishop four” with a wink to their professor then catching Ashe staring and held his index finger to his lip- as if this were a secret. Annette and Mercedes caught on similarly, noticing either their professor give a move verbally, and sometimes Sylvain passing a note to their teacher on top of their homework.

Dimitri just  _ asked _ when he saw the chessboard.

No matter who knew, or didn’t, Byleth found that they enjoy these games, even if they found themselves losing more and more as Sylvain learns their usual tactics and which pieces their professor treasures most. As far as the teacher was concerned, it was a  _ good _ thing that Sylvain was applying himself to something- even if it wasn’t something quite as important as, say, his homework. Still, there was a reason why one didn’t look gift horses in the mouth, so Byleth found themselves not particularly bothered. 

(For what it was worth, Sylvain would turn in tactics homework, but only after they started this habit of chess.)

"Bias can kill you, y'know." Sylvain commented offhandedly one day. Byleth had just told him their newest move in their newest match and 50 different moves floated around his mind. He would think about it, they knew it. Perhaps he'd be quick and give the next move at dinner. Perhaps it would wait until after class the following day. Byleth knew better than to push it, that it was important that Sylvain sussed this out on his own.

"I will keep that in mind." Byleth nodded once before their blue eyes lifted to the class's doorway. "And I believe you should, too."

Sylvain stretched then glanced towards the room's entrance. Ingrid and Felix, the usual suspects. "Mm, I'll consider it."

Byleth watched the surprisingly brilliant tactician rise from his chair and join his friends outside. Soon the trio was out of eyesight and the professor allowed a sigh. For as often as they played chess, and as often as Byleth found themselves creating scenarios in uncanny parallel to their past missions, it only served to prove that some memories, they just don’t retain.

"You never do, Sylvain."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
